Washington Avenue to be Closed Briefly to Westbound Traffic in Afternoon

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Washington Avenue will be closed by the Oxford Deport Trial to westbound traffic to allow students a safe crossing.
Image via Google Maps

Drivers wanting to go west on Washington Avenue toward Molly Barr Road in the afternoons might need to find a different route.

City leaders have agreed to close the west lane of Washington Avenue from about 3:40 to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday to make it safer for students crossing the busy road.

The request came from the Oxford School District who reached out to the city engineering staff. According to information provided by the OSD, about 250 students leave the school on foot each day, with the majority crossing Washington Avenue to access the LOU Boys and Girls Club, the Stone Center and the Ulysses “Coach” Howell Activity Center.

“The OSD has stated that the queue of cars already parking and driving eastbound to pick up students obstructs the westbound cars from being able to see students who are crossing,” City Engineer Reanna Mayoral said.

The dismissal time for Oxford Intermediate School is 3:45 p.m.

Mayoral said the Oxford Board of Aldermen agreed to “try out” closing the road for a few weeks.

“We will monitor it and see how it goes,” she said on Tuesday.

Washington Avenue will be closed to westbound traffic at the Oxford Depot Trails so that access to houses and LOU Boys and Girls Club will remain open.

Mayoral said she didn’t have an exact date of when the closure will begin and is waiting on the OSD to make that decision.